Page 26 - Parquet International January 2014

ON FIELD
STANDARDS
When parquet shows respect for
the environment
The new criteria required to obtain the European Ecolabel logo For wood parquet and laminate and bamboo floors
On March 14, 2013, the European Com- mission modified the criteria pre- sented in Ruling EC 2010/18 required to obtain the European Union's “Ecolabel” logo for wood flooring with environmen- tal excellence. In order to obtain the Ecola- bel mark, producers must issue a statement that certifies their complete respect for every specific technical-management parameter prescribed. We'll take a closer look at just what the Ecolabel mark is, its purpose, its importance in the market, and the requisites necessary to obtain it.
Ecolabel: ecological quality logo
The Ecolabel logo is a voluntary ecological sustainability logo proposed to producers by the European Union with the objective of promoting products with reduced envi- ronmental impact throughout their lifespan. The EU Ecolabel awarding scheme is man- aged directly by designated organizations known as the “Competent Bodies” ap- pointed by each EU member nation. These Competent Bodies evaluate the applications submitted for the issue of the EU Ecolabel on the basis of product group and the cri- teria published by the European Commis-
DOMENICO ADELIZZI
sion for each group and type of product in- serted in the Rules of the European Council and Parliament (EC No. 66/2010 dated No- vember 25, 2010). Each application must be presented to the Competent Body in the product's nation of origin. For products pro- duced outside the European Economic Area Market, applications must be submitted to the Competent Body in the nation where the product was launched in the market. Prod- ucts bearing this seal of ecological quality distinguished by the daisy-shaped logo are the consumer goods that have been select- ed on the basis of the selection criteria es- tablished by the EU member nations and the European Commission that aim at award- ing both environmental excellence and the performance levels of widely-used articles, such as coverings for floors made with wood and plant-based substances, for example.
Ecolabel acceptance criteria
Ruling EC 2010/18 specifies the ecological criteria for the issue of the Ecolabel logo for wood flooring. Eligible products must com- ply with the quality mark's general provi- sions set forth in Regulation EC 66/2010. The group of products known as “wooden